30 Top Titles for the New Year | Starred Reviews, January 2025

January starts strong with a new book from Gayle Forman, two graphic novels, and several audio titles spanning ages and genres.

Kwesi and Nana Ruby Learn to Swim (Commeh) ©2025 Bárbara Quintino

 

Picture Books

Andruetto, María Teresa. Clara and the Man with Books in His Window. illus. by Martina Trach. Greystone. 

Avery, Sean E. Frank’s Red Hat. Walker Australia. 

Commeh, Kobina. Kwesi and Nana Ruby Learn to Swim. illus. by Bárbara Quintino. Barefoot. 

Kim, Jihyun. Blue Sky Morning. Floris. 

 

Chapter Books

Ahn, Angela. The Big Splash. illus. by Julie Kim. Tundra. 
 

Middle Grade

Currie, Lindsay. It’s Watching. Delacorte. 

Mandanna, Sangu. Vanya and the Wild Hunt. Roaring Brook.

Prendergast, Gabrielle. The Anxious Exile of Sara Salt. Orca.

 

YA

Coccia, Paul. Recommended Reading. Zando. 

Forman, Gayle. After Life. HarperCollins/ Quill Tree. 

Lee, Shannon & Fonda Lee. Breath of the Dragon: Breathmarked. Wednesday Bks. 

Liang, Ann. I Am Not Jessica Chen. HarperCollins. 

McCullough, Joy. Everything Is Poison. Dutton. 

Tobias, Trisha. Honeysuckle and Bone. Zando/Sweet July. 

Williamson, S.F. A Language of Dragons. HarperCollins. 

 

Graphic Novels

Bakes, Jules. Sea Legs. illus. by Niki Smith. Scholastic/Graphix. 

Larson, Hope. Very Bad at Math. HarperAlley. 

 

Revolutionary Mary: The True Story of One Woman, the Declaration of Independence, and America’s Fight for Freedom (Blumenthal) ©2025 by Elizabeth Baddeley

 

Nonfiction

Blumenthal, Karen & Jennifer McCartney. Revolutionary Mary: The True Story of One Woman, the Declaration of Independence, and America’s Fight for Freedom. illus. by Elizabeth Baddeley. Roaring Brook. 

Levy, Debbie. A Dangerous Idea: The Scopes Trial, the Original Fight Over Science in Schools. Bloomsbury. 
 

Audio

Alexander, Kwame. Black Star. narrated by Angel Pean, Dominic Hoffman, Nile Bullock & Full Cast. Hachette Audio. 

Baptist, Kelly J. The Band in Our Basement. narrated by Channie Waites. Recorded Books. 

Bell, Darrin. The Talk. narrated by Darrin Bell, Emyree Zazu Bell, Brittany Bradford & William DeMeritt. Macmillan Audio. 

IllumiNative, ed. My Life: Growing Up Native in America. narrated by Carolina Hoyos, Kamali Minter, Tanis Parenteau & Shaun Taylor-Corbett. S. & S. Audio. 

Johnson, George M. Flamboyants: The Queer Harlem Renaissance I Wish I’d Known. narrated by George M. Johnson. Macmillan Young Listeners. 

Odeh, Maysa. A Map for Falasteen: A Palestinian Child’s Search for Home. narrated by Dalia Ramahi. Macmillan Young Listeners. 

Oh, Ellen, ed. On the Block: Stories of Home. narrated by Yasmin Mwanza, Eli Schiff & others. Listening Library. 

Oso, Maisha. Before the Ships: The Birth of Black Excellence. narrated by Kim Staunton. Scholastic Audio. 

RedCherries, m.s. mother. narrated by m.s. RedCherries. Penguin Audio. 

Sepetys, Ruta & Steve Sheinkin. The Bletchley Riddle. narrated by Ruta Sepetys, Steve Sheinkin, Louis Hill & Georgina Jane. Listening Library.

Thayer, Alex. Happy & Sad & Everything True. narrated by Caitlin Kelly. S. & S. Audio. 

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